Remember the old Samsonite commercial from the 70s where gorilla baggage handlers mistreated luggage? The vast majority of shipping companies treat their clients’ freight with more respect than that. But to ensure that whatever you are shipping, whether it is engine blocks, pianos or Swarovski crystals, gets to its destination in the same condition it was when it left, you may need a bit of professional insight. To that end, here are some shipping tips to make sure that your merchandise arrives in perfect condition:
- Choose the right box for the job. A heavy corrugated cardboard box with walls thick and strong enough to protect the items inside affords plenty of room for packing materials. You can reuse a box for shipping, but a used box is not nearly as strong as a new one.
- Wrap outsized items in corrugated cardboard. For shipping large or irregularly shaped freight, wrap the item uniformly in corrugated cardboard and secure it with reinforced shipping tape. It is definitely better to err on the side of too much wrapping than too little.
- Be generous with the packing material. Pack an item so that it will not shift in the container while being transported and leave enough room for a generous amount of packing material. If you’re shipping multiple items, make sure to allow plenty of room for packing material between boxes. Tape each seam of the box with heavy shipping tape and give the box a shake to check for interior movement.
- Double-check the address. Before contacting our shipping company to pick up your parcel, double check the shipping address to make sure it is correct. You can print the shipping label, write it in a neat hand or use the Bill of Lading as the address label.
- Need a crate? Freight companies are understandably careful about the type of crates they will accept for shipping freight. If you don’t have a factory crate for your shipment, most carriers will accept a crate made of heavy corrugated cardboard or wood. Whichever type of crate you choose, it is critically important to make sure that your freight is properly secured so it will not come loose while shipping.
- Palletizing your shipment. If you are shipping your merchandise on a pallet, it is critically important to ensure that the freight it secured to the pallet properly. Many carriers also prefer that the shipment be covered in shrink wrap or cardboard.
- Consider additional shipping insurance. We monitor and validate each of our carrier’s credentials, safety ratings and insurance coverage on a consistent basis and only do business with carriers that are fully licensed and insured. You can also purchase additional cargo insurance to ensure that their shipment is fully covered in the event of an accident.
If you have any questions about these shipping tips or shipping a challenging item, simply fill out a fast contact form and one of our specialists will get right back to you!
